Gas and air separator



Aug 22, 1967 v A. P. CARROLL 3,336,732

GAS AND AIR SEPARATOR Filed Jan.

vnu. 0-

United States Patent O 3,336,732 GAS AND AIR SEPARATOR Albert P.Carroll, 1630 Paloma Ave., Stockton, Calif. 95207 Filed Jan. 17, 1966,Ser. No. 521,085 1 Claim. (Cl. 55-201) This application is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 339,301, led Ian. 21, 1964(now abandoned).

This invention relates to water pumping equipment, a-nd particularly toa gas and air separator adapted to depend from or form an extension ofthe suction pipe or manifold of a pump, and which pipe depends into awell tor deep sump from which the water is being pumped.

It frequently happens, from one cause or another, that such watercontains a substantial amount of gas or air entrapped therein in bubbleform and which, if drawn up with the water and into the pump, causespump-lock or cavitation. This results in an inefficient operation of thepump, including reduced capacity and even at times a loss of the prime.

It is, therefore, the major object of this invention to eliminate theabove objectionable feature and result by providing a novel separator,depending from the suction pipe of the pump and freely communicatingtherewith, which will cause gas or air in the water to be separatedtherefrom before entry into the suction pipe; and arranged so that suchseparated gas or air will ascend of itself to the surface of the waterin the Well or other body of water outside the suction pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gas and air separatorwhich is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and installation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable gas and air separator and one which is exceedinglyeffective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

The gure on the drawing is a foreshortened sectional elevation of thepreferred form of the improved gas and air separator.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, the separator of the present inventioncomprises an elongated cylindrical pipe 1 adapted to depend from thesuction pipe or manifold 2 of a turbine or centrifugal pump (not shown)in alinement with such manifold. The manifold 2 and pipe 1 at adjacentends are detachably connected by anges 3 and 4, respectively, boltedtogether as shown.

The lower end of the pipe 1 is closed by a plate 5 connected to the pipeby bolts 6 extending through said plate and a flange 7 secured on'thepipe.

Projecting outwardly from and secured on the outside of the pipe 1 invertically and preferably evenly spaced relation are upwardly facingseparating receptacles or cups 8. These cups, of which there are amultiplicity, are of inverted, frusto-conical solid-walled form, andextend Circumferentially about the pipe 1; such cups having watertightconnection at their lower ends with the outer face of the pipe.

The pipe 1, a short distance above the lower end of each cup, isprovided with a circumferential row of relatively small metering holes 9which establish communication between the interior of the pipe and thecups adjacent the lower ends thereof, and-in turnwith the well 10 inwhich the pipe 1 is disposed. The size of the cups 8 is such thatthe'area of each cup at its open upper end is many times greater thanthe combined area Iof all the related metering holes 9.

The entire vertical array of cups 8 is enclosed in a chamber 11 formedby a cylindrical shroud 12 concentric with the pipe 1 and spaced somedistance outwardly from the cups; said shroud being provided throughoutthe major portion of its extent with a multiplicity of metering holes 13and at its ends being closed with the pipe 1 by Circumferentiallyextending plates 14. The diameter of the separator as a whole is suchthat the cylindrical shroud 12 has considerable clearance from the wellcasing 1-5.

An air and gas vent 16 is formed in the upper closure plate 14; arelatively small pipe 17 being secured on the plate and projectingupwardly from about the vent (in clearance relation to the flanges 3 and4) to a termination preferably above water level. The pipe 17 may becontoured as necessary to pass the normally larger sized pump bowl,without reduction of pipe area.

Circumferentially spaced stitfener bars 18 extend between and arerigidly secured to the flanges 4 and 7 just clear of the shroud 12; theend portions 19 of the Ibars 18 sloping laterally inward to connectionwith said flanges asshown, and said flanges being somewhat smaller indiameter .than the shroud. These bars 18 add mechanical strength to theseparator unit and prevent the shroud 12 from possibly crowding againstthe side of the well; the sloping end portions 19 of said barspreventing the shroud at its ends from possibly hooking the well casingwhen fbeing lowered to or raised from working position.

In operation, water containing trapped gas or air (whether flowingdownwardly from above or upwardly from below as the suctional action ofthe pump becomes effective in the pipe 1) surrounds the shroud 12 andpasses through the metering holes 13. This assures that the velocity ofthe water being pulled to the pump is reduced to a -point such thatsubstantially all entrapped gas or air passes upwardly while the wateris in the chamber 11, and escapes through the vent 16 and pipe 17. Suchcontrol (Le. reduction) of the water velocity is further enhanced by theuse of the inverted frustoconical cups Sand the associated meteringholes 9; said cup and metering hole arrangement causing any gas and air(which may still be in the chamber 11 and flowing with the water intosaid cups) to also pass upwardly and escape a-s described.

The separator thus functions effectively to prevent initially entrappedgas or air from entering the pipe 1 and being drawn into the pump withthe water.

If it is impractical to run the vent pipe 17 past the pump bowl becauseof limited space, the separation chamber 11 may be vented directly tothe water through the top plate 14 with fairly good results, providedthe vent 16 is shielded from directly falling water. Also, if the ventpipe 1,7 terminates below the surface of the water in the Well, the topof said pipe must be Shielded but, of course, not closed. This shieldingof the vent pipe from above is necessary to prevent falling water fromdropping directly t-hrough the vent as this would cause air or gas to bedriven back down and -defeat the purpose of venting.

The volume of water being pumped and the cross sectional area of thewell determine whether or not it is necessary to vent the shroud to thesurface. In some cases, the vent pipe 17 may be terminated lower asabove described. Generally speaking, however, the longer and larger indiameter the vent pipe (or equivalent vent) the more effective itbecomes. The ideal venting condition is to have the vent terminate abovewater level.

It should here be noted that the velocity reducing shroud 12 itself mayextend above water level so as to eliminate the need of a vent pipe, butthis would =be more difficult and expensive to manufacture and install.

In installations where gas and air contamination of the water is lesssevere, the holes 13 possibly may be omitted, and the bottom of thevelocity reducing shroud left open to admit the water.

In other instances, particularly when the diameter Of the well is smallin relation to the amount of water to be pumped, the shroud 12 may ybeperforated as shown, and the bottom of the shroud left open. In thisway, falling water would be drawn in through the holes 13, while waterfrom any lower strata would in most part enter the velocity reducingshroud 12 from the bottom thereof. In either case, the gas and airseparation would be enhanced by the provision of the cups 8 which form ashield to prevent direct lateral movement of gas or air bubbles betweenthe shroud 12 and the pipe holes 9 and which would allow any straybubbles to be drawn into the pipe 1 along with the water.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there hasben produced such a gas and air separator as substantially fulfills theobjects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the gas and air separator, still in practice suchdeviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form adeparture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

A gas and air separator for the depending suction manifold of a waterpump comprising a pipe adapted to |be connected to and depend from themanifold, said pipe being closed at its lower end and having Water-entryopenings in the sidewall thereof, a cylindrical shroud surrounding the`pipe in clearance relation thereto and forming a chamber with whichsaid openings communicate, said shroud having a top closure andwater-entry openings below said closure, and a vent opening in saidclosure; the pipe being elongated, rigid anges Projecting outwardly fromsaid pipe above and below the shroud, said anges being smaller indiameter than the shroud, and rigid circumferentially spaced stieningbars extending between and secured to the flanges and about the shroud;the end portions of the bars sloping laterally inward to the flanges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,604,019 10/1926 Carnes 103-2032,104,339 1/1938 Arutunoff 10S-203 2,326,051 8/1943 Miller 55-1992,721,620 10/1955 Geer et al 55-206 2,737,857 3/1956 Lee 55--199 FOREIGNPATENTS 508,475 6/ 1939 Great Britain.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

I. A. ADEE, Assistant Examiner.

